Friday, November 01, 2002
Rebecca pointed out that this week's Friday Five is actually serious and worthy of answering. You guessed it: it's religious.
1. Were you raised in a particular religious faith? Yes. I was raised Roman Catholic. Not the wishy-washy kind of Catholicism, either, where you only go to Mass and recognize your faith on Christmas and Easter. It's funny how many people ask, "Do you go to church?" when I tell them I'm a Catholic.
2. Do you still practice that faith? Why or why not? Yes. I'm pretty devout. I've always felt fulfilled in the Catholic Church; my faith-life is so deeply rooted in the sacraments and the teachings of the Church, I can't see myself believing anything else. And even though I've had times where I felt I was losing touch with my faith, I've never truly questioned it.
3. What do you think happens after death? I can't fully answer this. Each of us will be judged, and in short, it's either eternal salvation or eternal punishment -- but the human mind can't fathom what either of those things will be like. It's not something that can really be explained in our terms. There is so much mystery to the afterlife: no one can conceive what beholding the full glory of God is, nor can they ascertain what complete estrangement from God would really mean. That's part of the importance of faith, to maintain such belief in these things we can't see or understand.
4. What is your favorite religious ritual (participating in or just observing)? The Mass itself; the celebration of the Eucharist. I was an altar server during my early teen years. I think that experience really helped form my current understanding of and participation in the Mass and the sacrament of the Eucharist. I enjoyed being more closely involved with everything that goes on at the altar; I was glad to have that role in the Church.
5. Do you believe people are basically good? Yes. Humanity was created in the likeness of God -- how can that not be "basically good"? But we're not divine; we are weak, selfish creatures, and give in too easily when faced with the temptation of sin, which is why we need Christ as our Savior.
So, there you have it. :)
| 2:05 PM |
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